Friday, 4 April 2014

I'm delighted to announce the publication of a new collaboration with the printer Roni Gross. Inconstant Water examines the art of travel across the sea, with particular reference to the carved wooden maps of Anmassalik. Inconstant Water was commissioned for Voyage Boxed, a project co-ordinated by artists Imi Maufe and Rona Rangsch.

Stories of sea journeys mesmerize readers with images of longing, discoveries, hardship and survival, of determination and being lost, of the width of the open sea, the magic of foreign destinations; they tell us how men and women face up to the elements of wind and water, how they defeat them or are defeated. But how and why do contemporary artists access the theme of sea journeys, what are their motivations and intentions, and which modes of expression do they employ?

The exhibition Voyage: sea journeys, island hopping and trans-oceanic concepts was held at Künstlerhaus Dortmund, Germany in 2013, curated by Imi Maufe and Rona Rangsch. Voyage, purposefully shown in a land-locked city, brought together artists whose works explored the theme in often subtle and less obvious ways than one would expect. The curators wanted Voyage to tour, and so they commissioned Voyage Boxed: 'a creative answer to the issues involved with touring exhibitions.' This miniature version of the exhibition is reminiscent of the ‘ditty boxes’, containers in which sailors on long sea voyages kept their precious belongings, and which Scottish artist John Cumming pays tribute to in his work.

Voyage Boxed aims to represent the original exhibition as a multiple edition in a format of just 14.8x 14.8cm. The box includes a collection of artworks by 16 of the Voyage artists and the two artist-curators, and the original exhibition catalogue. Voyage Boxed has been produced as a limited edition of 50.

About Me

I'm a writer and book artist. This blog is a home for news of exhibitions and events, and thoughts towards work in progress. There's more information about my work at www.nancycampbell.co.uk @nancycampbelle